Dana-Palmer House


The Dana-Palmer House is an historic house at 12-16 Quincy Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The two story wood frame house was built in 1822, and is basically Federal in its styling, although it has a Greek Revival porch. The house was built on land belonging to the Dana family, and was occupied by Richard Henry Dana, Sr. among others, before its acquisition by Harvard University in 1835. From 1839 to 1843 the building was used as Harvard's first astronomical observatory, before being converted for use as a residence for its professors. One of its residents of long tenure was George Herbert Palmer, who lived there for nearly forty years. In 1947 the house was moved to its present location, and alterations made for its astronomical uses were reversed.
The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.